The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-02-24
ABII ENE REFLECTOR.
Thurs stay, Feb. 4. Ia 7.
How to Build a City.

In tho days of bustling activity a
city ie Il in a very short time if c
prop; .se is pursued 10y those WHO
dire. i,,.vate enterprises in a public
spirited way. A few dollars invested
in town lots does not make city, nor
should that fact be the end Of the cap
italist's ambition in the direction Of
making these lots valuable.
Values either increase or decrease.
If let alone by all interested, a city
will shrink into the village in very
short time, but if the reverse course is
pursued and everything that tends to
enhance the value of property, put
new enterprises on foot that employ
labor and capital, put life into the
banker and food into the mouths of the
laboring men. increase the selling price
Of the products Of the farm, the shop,
the factory, and reduce the cost of pro-
duction and the distribution TO the
minimum is encouraged, fostered and
helped, even very serious natural ad
vantages may be overcome and city
built that will be an honor and profit
20 all who may reside therein or make
it their market.
The Individual as well as the general
public must at all times show his faith
by his works, and this faith shown by
us to the outside world by its faith in
the smaller circle Immediately sur
rounding the city, and this in turn be-
gets faith in the circle just outside,
that and so on until the frame of the
place is known drought the country.
Let no chance escape to advertise to
the world the faith we have in our
city, nor the material benefit derived
by us by a residence therein, nor the
richness of the soil of the territory
tributary thereto, nor the extent of the
products of that soil. Let all know
how many stately churches, mammoth
hotels, beautiful PARIS, handsome res
licences, substantial brick and stone
business houses and the extensive
stocks of merchandise contained there
in; how many school houses, mills, ele-
vators, and public spirited citizens cali
be found here, but never under any
consideration tell of the ''kickers, D." the
man who says I'VE are going to the
dogs" I'VE are wrecking our future
and mortgaging our children by this
reckless rush." The sheriff will sell
you out tomorrow if you keep this up"
ETC., etc. If you should happen to
mention one of these ''air brakes on
society,"" bump on a log" fellows, do
it in kind and dispassiOnate sort of
way-say the public attended the fun
eral Of the last one yesterday-that he
was run ever by the wheels of prog
ress" while engaged in clawipg over
the rubbish in one of the alleys III
search of lost pins, punched nickles and
old nails. That he was the last of the
family, and with him died the whole
race In the kingdom Of Clay.
To build a city it takes work, and
continuous work in season and out OF
season, and al all times. Your neigh
Dor cannot do all of it; you must do
your part. The boom is on now and
the soil to plant it i'll TO make il stay
and bloom Oh for all time is ready to be
prepared. A few hours now spent i'll
the right employment will save weeks
in the ruture. 4 new and competing
line OF railroad can be had to-day thai
may never come if not now. a new
factory or machine shop may be had to-
day that tomorrow may be located ill
some other city with not half the nat
ural advantages that ours has. If We
higgle week over the cost of an enter
prise to save fifty cents on the first cost
and lose it and in 50 doing lose that
worth thousands of dollars to us then
We can safely say I'VE were fools
again. Clay Center Dispatch.